Lost
by Storybookgirl77
Summary: The place is a mess. Shade is in a real bad mood but where is Angie?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer I don't own Private Eyes. All copyright belongs to 5USA and the original writers. No copyright infringement is intended nor should be inferred

Prologue

The early morning sunshine did nothing to improve his mood. The drive to the office, after breakfast with Jules and his dad was taking longer than expected. Road workers, slow drivers and an over cheerful radio DJ did nothing to improve his mood. After what seemed like hours but was probably only ten minutes more than usual he was stood in the centre of the Everett and Shade office surveying the mess.

"What happened?"

Zoe shrugged her shoulders. "The door was open when I got here. The place was like this." She waved her arms around at the mess In front of her.

"Angie?" Shade ran a hand over his eyes, not really believing he was at work before his partner. Zoe shrugged her shoulders.

"Not here."

"I can see that." Shade sighed.

"Not answering her phone." Zoe folded her arms. "I called her before I called the police."

"Ok. Well, stay here. Wait for the cops. Keep calling Angie. I'm going to her place." He almost ran out of the door, hoping the dread in the pit of his stomach was wrong. Angie was his partner and best friend. There was no way he was going to lose her. He just hoped whoever had ransacked their office was not the reason why she hadn't turned up for work.

Xxxxxxx


	2. Chapter 2

1.

The drive to Angie's seemed to take forever but Matt knew it was only a few minutes longer than normal. The time of day made it busier with school buses, cars and lorries all heading to their places of work while he was trying to go against the flow of traffic. He was never really worried about Angie. She was the most together and capable woman he had ever met. Knowing she would probably be amused by him rushing to look for her or at worst angry at him for panicking he tried to put all the thoughts of what could possibly have happened out of his mind, at least until he pulled the car outside of the apartment. He pulled the Porche into the reserved parking bay near the apartment building before killing the engine. Nerves hit him as he realised his business partner, his _best friend _was very likely in danger. Or ill. Or worse. He shook his head, forcing him to concentrate on what he was about to do.

"Angie, be ok." He stepped out of the car before jogging to the main entrance of the apartment block. The fear in his stomach hitting him as he realised the elevator was out of order. Glancing towards the stairs he swore under his breath before running towards them, hoping his fitness from the days in the hockey world would help him reach the third floor without his legs or his lungs letting him down. He sent up a silent prayer to whatever Saint looked after ex-hockey players turned private detectives that his friend was ok and that she would be pleased to see him.

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Angie was not happy. She was far from happy. The whole night had been a complete waste of time. Now she was in more trouble than she had been since the time she had been arrested by mistake for accidentally getting involved in espionage. She kicked out at the door in frustration as she tried and failed to free her wrists.

"Angela Susan Everett." She mumbled under her breath. "Do not even think about it."

She stopped kicking the cupboard door, listening carefully as she tried to make out what the sound was that had just caught her attention. Breathing heavily she couldn't fight the fear that the men who had broke into her apartment had come back to finish what they had started.

"ANGIE" She closed her eyes as a familiar voice yelled her name. She kicked the door again. "ANGIE!"

"IN HERE!" She kicked the door again as he finally got into the apartment. Minutes later he was pulling open the closet she had been locked inside.

"Hey." He knelt and began untying her. "You ok? Angie?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Yeah."

"Really?"

"No." She blinked back a tear, not sure if it was from relief that Matt had found her or that she had let two hired thugs ransack her home. Matt pushed the fear down into the pit of his stomach. "I will be."

"Who did this?" Matt frowned as she took a deep breath. "Angie? Who did this?"

"Carver." She bit her lip. "I can't prove it but it was him."

"Who?" Matt rocked back on her heels as he saw genuine fear in his friend's eyes.

"Trust me, Matt. You don't want to know."

"Oh I think I do. I really think I do."

She sighed, knowing that if nothing else her best friend deserved an explanation.


	3. Chapter 3

Explaination

Matt sat next to Angie as she stared at her sore wrists. He was angry, barely able to conceal how he was feeling. He tried to focus on her, on the fact he has found her. She was alive, sat next to him but he couldn't shake the feeling she was broken. Something had happened with this Carver that had changed her and he wasn't sure if they were ever going to be able to get past that.

"Zoe is in the office." He started. "The place was left open. It's been trashed."

Angie nodded.

"I told her not to touch a thing. Just wait for the police."

Angie's eyes shot up to meet his. He frowned slightly. Angie Everett was the toughest woman he had ever known, she was also the smartest. He couldn't stand seeing her afraid. Even when she had been wrongly arrested there was nothing to suggest she had been as terrified as she looked right then.

"What? There was a robbery as far as we knew and you were missing."

"Call Zoe. Tell her you found me. That I'm ok."

"Are you? Ok?"

"Just call her." Angie looked away. "Before she files a missing person report." Matt sighed, he felt sick. The silence in the living room was deafening as he waited for her to answer his silent question. He huffed, pulling his cell phone out of his jacket pocket. He kept his eyes on Angie as he waited for Zoe to answer. Moments later he turned back to his friend.

"Right, you going to tell me the truth?"

Angie nodded as tears filled her eyes. He instantly felt guilty. Before she could answer he pulled her into his arms.

Xxxxxx

Zoe pottered around the office, glad that the police had finally left. She hated the way the office looked with paper and files all over the floor. Sighing she knelt down to pick up various files and papers as the uniformed officer left. She froze as she realised what was written on the paper in her hand. She knew Angie was alive. She knew Matt had found her but seeing the paper in her hand she suddenly realised how much danger they were all in.

xxxx

"Carver is evil." Angie looked at her hands as she spoke. Matt kept his hand on hers as if trying to reassure himself that she was alive and with him. He watched as she turned to him. "He was a friend of my Dad. Before, well before my father realised what he was involved with."

"He was here?"

Angie nodded.

"Ang?"

"He's back to finish what he started. My father is dead, Carver knew that. He's back to finish what he started."

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	4. Chapter 4

Carver

Zoe put the phone back on the desk, relieved that Angie had been found safe and well. There was something in Matt's voice that worried her but she decided that she would take her boss on face value. If Matt Shade said Angie Everett was okay then she would accept that. Sighing heavily, she knew it would not change the state of their office. Looking around at the files strewn over the floor, upturned chairs and broken glass she knew putting it back together was going to be down to her. She knew there was little the police would be able to do if Matt and Angie closed ranks, and she had a feeling that was exactly what the pair of them would do. She stepped around the office, avoiding the broken glass and picking up chairs as she headed towards the take out coffee she had left near the doorway.

"Please be ok." She whispered under her breath. "Please, guys. Be ok."

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Matt was not known for being the most patient man. He knew he had infinite patience when it came to Jules, but the rest of the time he hated having to wait, watching Angie try to collect herself he felt sick. He had no idea who Carver was but he knew in that moment he hated the man with a passion.

He paused as Angie took a deep breath.

"Will you promise me something?"

"Of course." Matt waited. Angie seemed to be steeling herself for a confession. He had no idea who Carver was but he knew should the man walk in at that moment there was a fair chance he would kill him with his bare hands.

"Carver, that is David Carter knew my dad when I was little. He did some work with him. In the beginning the agency wasn't doing very well." Angie started. "Dad needed money to go on. You know how it is when a new business starts."

Matt nodded.

"Dad wasn't exactly a friend of the man. My mother liked him. She got a few gambling tips from him." Angie rolled her eyes, knowing her mother would always deny she had a problem. "Anyway, Dad ended up owing him a lot of money. He paid most of it off but then my mother got into more debt. He was determined to pay back the money." Angie sighed. Matt felt his stomach churn over. He knew Angie's mom was not an easy woman to get along with but he also felt sorry for the older Everett woman. He turned slightly as Angie's voice hitched. He was shocked to realise his friend was actually crying.

"Ang?"

"Um?"

"You said he came to finish what he started."

"He told my Dad. Before he died that he would get the money back. He didn't care who he hurt to get it. Even killing the one thing that really mattered to him."

"You." Matt frowned. Angie shrugged.

"You are his only child. I know what I would do if someone threatened me with Jules. He doesn't know your father has died, does he?"

"I don't think that mattered to him now. He wants to make us, Mom and me pay." Angie paused. "I know. It makes no sense but." She shrugged.

Matt nodded. "I think we should find this David Carter before he comes back. You are coming home with me." Matt got to his feet, pulling Angie up with him. "Come on."

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	5. Chapter 5

Sleep

Jules sat at the island in the kitchen deep in thought. She liked Angie, they got on well and she thought the brunette detective was a good influence on her father. She was what her grandmother would have called a 'stable person' so to find out she was in trouble yet again and was going to stay the night with her family was worrying. She sighed as she heard her grandfather walk into the kitchen.

"I thought you were staying with your mother tonight?" The older man headed straight for the coffee machine. Jules sighed.

"I was supposed to." She picked up her mug. "All this going from one place to the next. It get tiring. I'll be glad to get my own place and then everyone can come to me."

"Including your old Gramps?"

"Of course." Jules smiled.

"So, why are you sat here in the dark at 2 am?"

"I couldn't sleep." Jules sighed. "I am so tired."

"Then why aren't you asleep?"

"Dad and Angie."

"What about them?" The older man felt his stomach drop. His granddaughter was just a teenager but she was very perceptive. He wondered sometimes how it was his son who had ended up a Private Detective when his granddaughter was so more suited to the role. He really hoped she didn't intend to follow him into the business. IF the state Angie had been in when they arrived home was anything to go by it was far from a safe occupation.

"I'm worried."

"Go on."

"You know, Angie seemed really nervous. Like she was expecting something bad to happen. Or that something bad had happened and was going to happen again. Dad didn't say much but I know him. He was trying to be normal rather than being normal."

"You picked up on it too, eh?"

Jules nodded. "So? What can we do? I mean, I don't mind her staying here but how can we help?"

The older man poured his coffee, knowing that it was probably going to be the first of many. He didn't see himself getting any more sleep. "Honestly?"

"Yeah."

"I think we let Angie stay here for as long as she needs to. We let them work on whatever it is that has them spooked like this and we try to make things easy. You know, no added pressure."

Jules nodded. "Are they safe?"

"I think so." He lied. Jules raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, but while they are here. I guess so. And that is all we can hope for at the moment. You go to bed. I'll talk to your Dad in the morning. Perhaps I can help? Maybe find out if we have anything to worry about. Is that ok?"

"Good plan." She smiled before kissing her grandfather on the cheek and leaving the room. He sighed heavily, hoping that he had at least reassured the young woman. He had no idea what he was going to say to Matt, or whether the younger man would even want to confide in him. But Jules was right, there was no way Angie Everett was going to tell them what was happening. He just hoped it didn't mean trouble was going to come knocking on their door.

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	6. Chapter 6

Love?

Matt knew there was no way he was going to get Angie to talk to him if she felt that telling him the whole truth would put him, Jules or his Dad in danger. He frowned, staring at the ceiling deep in thought. The man had clearly terrified Angie and had been an associate of some kind to her father. He had to work out exactly how the man intended to make Angie pay up for what he perceived he owed her. He closed his eyes for a moment, reasoning that if Carver had known Bruce then there was a good chance the man was older, probably in his late 60s. That meant he probably had people working with him. Running a hand over his face he began to realise exactly how much danger they were in. There was no way he was letting his partner, his best friend face whatever was going to happen alone.

_He wants to make me pay. He doesn't care that Dad is dead. He wants what he wants._

Matt sighed, throwing the duvet off his legs and sitting up. He had to work out exactly what had happened between Bruce Everett and David Carver. Somehow whatever had happened was coming back to hurt his friend and there was no way he was going to stand by and let that happen. Deciding that coffee was probably going to help more than sitting on his bed trying to work out what was happening he grabbed his shorts and headed out of the bedroom. A sudden noise from the guest bedroom caught his attention.

"Ang!" He pushed the bedroom door open, terrified that somehow Carver or one of his croanies had got into his house. Stood in the half light of the doorway he realised his friend was in the middle of a nightmare but otherwise perfectly safe. "Hey." He stayed where he was as Angie seemed to settle. Sighing heavily, he decided she had gone back to a more normal sleep, stepping back he closed the door slightly as the light faded in the room. An ear-piercing scream had him at her side before she had the chance to sit up.

"Hey."

"What." She gasped as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Did I wake you? Sorry." She brushed her long brown hair out of her face. "I didn't mean to."

"I was awake anyway." He smiled slightly. "What was it?"

"Nightmare."

"I guessed that." He spoke calmly. "Its ok."

"No, it isn't. I could have woken your dad or Jules. She has school today."

"She can sleep through anything. Always has been able to. Since she was a baby. The smoke alarm didn't wake her when we brought her home from the hospital so you yelling out isn't going to do it. And as for Dad, he will just want to help."

"I wont have him or Jules put in danger."

"Neither will I." Matt spoke firmly. "Ang, you will be ok. We will get this sorted. Somehow."

"I think I am going to go home."

"No, its 4 am. Ang, wait until it gets light." She was out of bed, picking up her jacket as he watched her. "Ang, this guy has to be around my dad's age."

"That wont stop him."

"Then what will?" Matt frowned as she pulled her jacket over her nightshirt. "Because, this is not going to do it. You running away. Firstly, it isn't like you."

"How do you know that?" Angie snapped. "You don't know me. Not really. How long have we worked together?"

"Three years." Matt felt like he had been punched. "We're friends. Partners. You've been with me through everything will Jules and her Mom. I was there for the whole thing with Ken, with your cousin's wedding. Your Mom. Long enough for you to make me a partner in the firm. Long enough to."

"Ok, ok." She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry."

He nodded, slightly appeased. "But if Carver finds out that we are partners, that we work together then there is a very good chance he is going to come after you. I can't let that happen."

Matt nodded as she seemed to slump in front of him. He watched her as she bit her lip before he got to his feet, pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly. "It'll be ok, Ang. It is going to be ok."

"How?" She rested her hands on his chest to push him away. He held her to him as she looked up at him. "How is it going to be ok?"

"Honestly? I don't know. But it will. If you talk to me. Tell me everything from the start. No secrets. We said that when I became a partner. Remember?"

"Yeah." She sighed before resting her head against his chest, letting him hold her for a moment. "You aren't going to like it."

"Doesn't matter." He had no idea why he suddenly felt so protective of his friend. "I need to know."

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	7. Chapter 7

Plans?

Angie stared in to space as Matt refilled the coffee machine. He knew going into the office at 4 am wasn't the best idea but he knew Jules and his Dad were safe and that there was more chance of Angie opening up to him if the rest of his family weren't around. In that moment he wanted to punch Bruce Everett for the whole situation but he knew voicing that to Angie was the last thing he could do.

"So, your dad owed him some cash?"

Angie nodded as he sat on the old battered couch next to her. She looked exhausted, the fight seemed to have escaped her. He had to admit it was disconcerting. Angie Everett was tough, intelligent and feisty. She was not the sort of person to roll over and accept her fate. He had seen her close to breaking when she had been wrongly jailed on terrorism charges but this was different. This was as if she had collapsed inwards. He ran a hand over his face.

"And I am guessing Bruce didn't pay him back before he died."

"No." Angie sighed. "Look, it was business. I didn't know much about the financial side of running this place back then. But Mom was gambling like there was no tomorrow."

"Your parents divorced years before."

"Yeah, but if Jules' mom was in trouble wouldn't you wanna help her? Don't look at me like that." She turned away, her attention back on the coffee mug in her hands. Matt sighed.

"Yes I would want to help Becca. But if it meant putting my only child in danger." He narrowed his eyes, looking away for a moment. He just could not understand how or why Bruce had behaved the way he had. Carver was different, scum was scum as far he could see and behaved as such.

"He wouldn't do that." Angie sighed. "Not deliberately. He was a good dad."

Matt nodded. He knew she had adored her father, had chosen to live with him following her parents divorce and was as close to him as he was to Jules. He had to make her see her father was to blame not her but he didn't want to risk tarnishing her memories of him.

"Ok, so."

"So?" Angie looked up.

"What do we do? You wont let me go to Maz. Or tell Zoe, who will be arriving for work in a few hours."

"If she's on time." Angie sighed. "Since her and Maz broke up, her time keeping."

"They broke up? I thought they just weren't getting a place together."

"Same thing." Angie sighed. Matt pulled a face.

"Don't change the subject." He took a sip of his coffee. "We have to tell Zoe, she works here. She found the office in the mess it was and told me you were missing. She deserves to know the truth."

Angie sighed, slumping back in her seat. "OK, OK."

"But?"

"I don't want her in danger. She's office staff. She isn't supposed to do the investigating."

"Ok." Matt agreed, remembering the younger woman's disastrous attempt at undercover work a few weeks earlier. "Zoe stays in the office." Angie smiled slightly, glad that they had at least agreed on something.

"Good."

"Angie, you don't have to do this. We can call Maz, make an official report."

"On what evidence?" Angie looked at him, her voice quieter than usual. Matt sighed.

"The office was ransacked, you were abducted and held in your apartment. You were tied up! Ang, these guys. They." She rested a hand on his arm.

"I know." She kept her hand where it was. "That's why it has to be this way. You can walk out that door now and I wont hold it against you. Shade, you are my best friend. There's no one who would have done what you have for me. And I don't just mean this. Re -mortgaging your home, putting your life in my hands when I had to pretend to shoot you. I." He covered her hand with his own, effectively silencing her.

"Ang, we are doing this. Together. Partners remember? Someone comes after one of us they come after both of us." His voice was firm, almost hard as Angie nodded once, still unsure if her plan would work.

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	8. Chapter 8

The Plan

Matt had to admit that it was not a good plan. He had worked with Angie for over three years, had been in more weirdly dangerous situations than he cared to remember. He knew what she had started was dangerous. If it went wrong then there was a very good chance one or both of them would end up in the hospital, or worse. He closed his eyes as he waited, knowing that telling Zoe to contact Danica and Maz was the only good thing he had done since Angie had come up with the plan. Sat in the shadows in the back room of their office he knew all he could do was wait.

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"And you are sure about this?" Danica asked as Zoe sat on the back seat of the police car between the two police officers. "Angie doesn't sound the type of person to get involved with stuff like this."

"You haven't known her long." Maz answered. "When it comes to her Dad and protecting his memory there really isn't any limit she wouldn't go to."

"I'm sure." Zoe paused. "I don't really understand what has been going on but Angie didn't want to go to the police. Apparently she thinks this is a family matter, but you guys should have seen the state of the office when I found it. I mean, woah." She waved her hands. "It looked like a tornado had gone through there. And with no sign of Angie. I thought Matt was gonna explode."

"Why are those two not a couple?" Danica sighed.

"I know right!" Zoe answered. "I work with them. They are crazy about each other but neither will admit it."

"Guys! Please!" Maz pulled a face. He didn't want to think about his friends' relationship. He knew they cared about each other and that was as far as he wanted to go. Making the arrest and making sure the couple were safe was all he cared about. He focused on the building a few feet away from where he had parked the car. He had a feeling he was in for a long wait.

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Angie turned the lamp on so that her desk was partially illuminated. The place had once been her second home. She had loved it there but since that morning when Carver's men had ransacked the place she had found herself not wanting to be there. It seemed she would find any excuse not to be there alone, the thought angered her. She was not the sort of woman to just give up. Carver had frightened her but he had not broken her and there was no way she was going to let him. She glanced at the unlocked door, knowing Carver would take the bait. She knew he would think he had the upper hand and in that moment she was inclined to agree with him. The door creaked open as she raised her head.

"Angela."

"Evening." She looked at the older man.

"You took my friends seriously. I am glad." He narrowed his eyes as he walked towards her. She wanted to scream, hoping that Matt would be able to hear what was going on.

"Spending a couple of hours locked in a cupboard focuses the mind." She glared at him. He smirked. "Your issues, your fight isn't with me. It never was."

"Bruce died." He nodded. "Unfortunate."

"You could call it that." Angie paused as she looked him in the eye. "You do know he never told me a thing about any of his dealings with you?"

Carver shrugged, holding his gun directly in front of him, pointed at her head. For a moment she wondered what it would be like to have a bullet in the brain. Would she know? Would it be painful? She narrowed her eyes as she silently prayed she wasn't going to find out.

"I came for my money Angela."

"You were blackmailing him." Angie paused. "You know he would never give you the money. He died before you could ruin him."

"And if you don't pay his debt now then I will ruin you. I am owed, Angie. I am owed." The thick set man tilted his head as he watched her. "This company is built on Bruce Everett's reputation. I could destroy this company and you as well as your precious father's memory."

Angie nodded. "The money is in the safe." She got to her feet as he kept the gun pointed at her. She hoped Matt was doing what he was supposed to. She felt her stomach churn as she heard the gun click behind her.


	9. Chapter 9

Shot

Angie felt sick as she heard the gun click behind her. She knew the safety was off, meaning that at any moment a bullet could be in her brain. She had to force herself not to freeze as she focused on the safe in front of her. She hadn't used the safe since she had inherited the company from her father.

"I wouldn't stall if I were you." Carver snapped. Angie closed her eyes for a moment before clicking the safe lock to the open position. She knew Matt was somewhere in the building and Zoe had set up the security cameras to link to their laptops so everything could be seen. In that moment it didn't matter. She was unable to push her terror back down. She knew there was no way she was going to walk away from the encounter unscathed. Matt and the others would never be able to reach her in time.

"Angela." The man behind her spoke again.

"Ok, ok." Angie snapped, determined not to show him how scared she really was. She stepped sideways, keeping her eyes on the safe door. "You want the money? Get it yourself." She turned away as he stepped towards her, the gun never left her. A moment later she was heading for the door as he yelled. The force of the bullet hitting her knocked her onto her knees as she felt the pain rip through her. Silently falling to the ground she closed her eyes, the pain blocking out all her other senses. She had no idea Danica and Maz were arresting the man who had shot her, that Zoe was calling the paramedics or that Matt was knelt next to her.

"Ang?" He pushed her black hair away from her face. "Tell me you had a vest on. C'mon Ang?" His eyes filled with tears as she lay in his arms. "Ang?" He pulled his hand away from her shoulder, examining the blood on his hands.

"Yeah." She gasped as he almost dropped her. "I."

"Zoe, where the Hell is that ambulance?"

"Its on the way." She snapped back at him as she knelt the other side of her boss. Danica and Maz dragged Carver out of the office to a waiting police van as Matt ran his eyes over his partner. "They said to keep her still and put pressure on the wound."

"Right. Pressure." Matt held his hand on her shoulder as Angie frowned. "Cmon Ang."

"Did you get him?"

He blinked as he heard her voice. "Matt?" She struggled to sit forward, before instantly realising it was a bad idea. "My arm really hurts."

"Bullet hit you in the shoulder." Zoe explained. Angie took a deep breath, trying to focus on Matt rather than the pain. Matt pressed harder on her shoulder as Angie held his gaze.

"Hurts."

"Its ok." Matt smiled slightly. "It."

"Is painful" Angie gasped. Her vision blurred slightly as she heard Matt tell her to stay awake. She raised an


	10. Chapter 10

10

Matt sat on the plastic chair staring at his feet. He hated hospitals, had done since Jules had been born. Since then her early years seemed to be visiting one eye doctor after another, visiting his own mom in the cancer ward or getting patched up from his latest hockey injury. He didn't expect to be sat in the ER waiting room trying to block the day's events out of his mind as Angie had been rushed from the ambulance into the Trauma area of the department. He sighed as he felt rather than saw his friend sit next to him.

"Danica."

"He has been charged with attempted murder, money laundering, blackmail and a heap of fraud and taz related stuff." She answered his unasked question. "Maz is still at the station."

"Thanks."

"Matt?" She rested a hand on his back as he closed his eyes. "You ok?"

"I was too slow." He paused. "She has a bullet in her. They think she lost way too much blood and I was too slow."

"Don't talk like that. These doctors see gun shot wounds more than you know. They will know what to do." She smiled slightly. "Angie will be home before you know it."

"Oh yeah?" Matt sighed before turning to face her. "How do you do it?"

"What?"

"Stay so upbeat? So positive."

"Its just the way I am." She smiled at him. "I know you did everything you could to keep Angie safe. You know she is in the best hands. We just gotta leave it to them now."

Matt nodded. He liked the young detective, she was a different character to Maz. Less likely to go along with their schemes or help them without questioning. He had to admit he admired her for that, even if it did drive him crazy at times. He closed his eyes once more, wishing his dad was with him, knowing the older Shade man would know what to say. His dad always seeme to have the answer for any situation. Sat in the cold plastic chair he realised Angie had probably always thought that about her own father, as Jules probably did when it came to him.

"I'll wait with you." Danica rested her hands in her lap. He shot her a look. "She is my friend too. Plus, I know Maz would want me to be here if he can't be. The Captain is making him process all of this by the book." She paused. "She can be quite, er, difficult."

"That she can." Matt had to agree as he looked up to see a nurse approach him.

"Hi, are you with Angela Everett?"

"Yes." Danica answered as the colour seemed to drain out of Matt's face. She nudged him so he stood up. "I'm her friend. This is her partner Matt." The younger man nodded.

"Ok, would you like to follow me?"

Danica smiled as she realised it was the first time Matt hadn't explained that they were business partners rather than partners in any other sense. She bit her lip, hoping that at least now Matt would be honest and tell the detective how he felt about her. She knew he had promised Conroy he would but it seemed that since they had fished him and Conroy out of the lake he was more scared than ever to admit how he felt. Minutes later she was thanking the doctor and ushering Matt towards the room where Angie was recovering from surgery. Leaving the couple she decided to try to find a phone, knowing Maz and Zoe would be worried.

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"Hey." Matt stood in the doorway.

"Hi." Angie was clearly still having trouble with her arm. The limb and most of her chest seemed to be heavily bandaged but she was awake and looking at him. So, he guessed everything had gone well. He stepped into the room.

"You looked lost." Angie sighed as he sat next to her bed.

"Eh? I did? When?"

"When I was." She paused. "Before, when you were trying to stop me bleeding. I have never seen you looking more lost or afraid."

"Angie, I."

"Its ok." She smiled as her eyelids grew heavier. He squeezed her hand. "I guess I'm a little lost without you too." She drifted off to sleep as Matt smiled, determined that he would never come so close to losing her again.

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